Everything That Is Beautiful: A Novel

"I absolutely loved it . . . So realistic about the complexity of loving people who will break our hearts."—Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

The #1 internationally bestselling, award-winning author of Snowflake returns with a luminous portrait of two Irish families riven by one great secret.

For Niamh Ryan, the Foleys are family. Her childhood flew by on their farm, playing with her best friend Peter and his sister Kate—while being doted on by their mother Helen and coached by their father Liam, a legendary former hurling player.

Now, following a distressing series of events, those ties are strained. Niamh receives drunken phone calls and messages from Peter who can’t understand what derailed their burgeoning relationship three years ago. Helen tries her best to escape her life by checking into guesthouses under the names of old classmates. And Kate, living in Belfast, works to maintain her job and a relationship while carrying the weight of the family's secrets.

As a family wedding looms, Niamh, Helen, and Kate find themselves face to face once again—and the knotty love that has bound them might just bring them back together again.

Told through the perspectives of three very different women, Everything That Is Beautiful is an unforgettable story of love and family, heartbreak and hope—and who we might become after we pick up the pieces.

"I absolutely loved it . . . So realistic about the complexity of loving people who will break our hearts." — Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

"I BLOODY LOVED IT. Complicated families, gorgeous fully-realised characters, heartbreak and laughter." ⎯ Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things

"Intimate and panoramic, tender-hearted and clear-eyed, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, this dazzling novel brims with compassion and unforgettable characters. A book you'll read and love, then immediately buy for those you love." — Colin Walsh, #1 bestselling author of Kala

"A big-hearted, immersive novel about the complex bonds of family and friendships. With her second novel, Nealon extends her narrative range and further establishes herself as one of the leading chroniclers of the contemporary Irish female experience. The world she creates is so vivid and compelling: readers will live in these farmhouse kitchens, in the fields and on the camogie pitches, with characters who begin to feel like friends." ⎯ Roisin O'Donnell, award-winning author of Nesting

"A deeply moving exploration of all the joys and pains of living in community. Beautifully written, funny, emotionally complex and always quietly hopeful. I loved it." — Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, award-winning author of Ordinary Saints

"It's rare to read a novel where rage and compassion are so delicately balanced on each page. This book made me want to open a window and shout." — Sheila Armstrong, author of How To Gut a Fish

"A striking portrait of three women and their strength and devotion in the face of devastation. Everything That Is Beautiful is wrought with tension, humour, irreverence and warmth. Louise Nealon captures so well the nuances of Irish family life—the chaos, the imperfections, and the unconditional love. I felt I was in the family kitchen, experiencing their laughter and celebrating their triumphs—and heartbreak. The Foleys will inhabit your heart long after the last page." — Charleen Hurtubise, author of The Polite Act of Drowning

"I couldn't put this novel down. So full of empathy and understanding about what it means to love people and how to belong to a family, even when you're on the outside looking in." ⎯ Ciara Geraghty, bestselling author of Late Learner

"Utterly immersive and beautifully told. The Foley household comes to life on the page. Family secrets reveal the complexities of loving those who betray us. This big, boisterous, Irish family will make you laugh and break your heart." ⎯ Carmel McMahon, author of In Ordinary Time

"Observant and empathetic, Nealon demonstrates her keen eye as a writer capturing the world of those living on the edges of an apparent perfect family expertly." ⎯ Anne Griffin, award-winning author of When All Is Said

"Fresh and engaging . . . Her characters are alive and real, and the familial relationships, with all their petty cruelties and their bumbling acts of love, are so acutely observed." ⎯ Claire Gleeson, author of Show Me Where It Hurts

"From the first beguiling sentence, you know as a reader that you are in safe hands. Everything That Is Beautiful is a book that you won't be able to put down, and will give to everyone you love. This masterful novel is by turns dark and funny, intimate and worldly. Louise Nealon writes with stunning emotional clarity, delivering a rich and complex portrayal of family life and sporting community, with characters that stayed with me long after I'd finished reading. An instant classic. I adored it." ⎯ Olivia Fitzsimons, author of The Quiet Whispers Never Stop

"I was deeply touched by this warm, funny, complex novel. Louise Nealon is a writer attuned to the nuances and contradictions of life. In Everything That IS Beautiful, Nealon writes with a deftness of touch and an eye for beauty. An immensely rewarding read." ⎯ Danielle McLaughlin, author of The Art of Falling